Thailand speeds up solutions to IUU Fishing

SAMUT SONGKRAM, THAILAND, May 7 (TNA) - Thai authorities are inspecting local trawlers and migrant workers in the fishing sector, as part of the Thai government's attempts to address Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing over the next six months as demanded by the European Union (EU). Rear Admiral Dejdol Phusara, Chief of Staff of Thailand's First Navy Area Command, led authorities of concerned agencies to inspect fishing vessels and their migrant workers at Wat Pak Samut Port in Bangkok's neighboring Samut Songkram Province on Thursday to see whether they have legal documents complied with IUU Fishing. The authorities gave vessel operators two months to comply with IUU Fishing; otherwise they will be arrested if they are found to hire workers under 18 years old on their fishing vessels after the deadline. EU issued a final warning or a "yellow card" to Thailand last month and gave the country six months to address IUU Fishing or face a total import ban on fishery products from the 28-member European trade bloc. (TNA)